Tamarez Strikes Out 11 Before Bullpen Slips in Loss to FredNats
FAYETTEVILLE, NC - Misael Tamarez racked up the most strikeouts of any Fayetteville Woodpeckers’ (34-45) pitcher this season before the bullpen allowed four late runs in a 4-1 loss to the Fredericksburg Nationals (28-52) on Wednesday at Segra Stadium. Three straight strikeouts in the first inning for Tamarez set the
FAYETTEVILLE, NC - Misael Tamarez racked up the most strikeouts of any Fayetteville Woodpeckers’ (34-45) pitcher this season before the bullpen allowed four late runs in a 4-1 loss to the Fredericksburg Nationals (28-52) on Wednesday at Segra Stadium. Three straight strikeouts in the first inning for Tamarez set the tone for an eventual 11 strikeout performance and a game that stayed scoreless until the seventh.
After rolling through the top three in the FredNats order to open the game, Tamarez stranded two runners on in the second, and punched out the side for second time in the third. He faced the minimum in the fourth, erasing a leadoff walk on a double play ball back to the mound from Junior Martina. The right-hander continued his roll through the fifth, striking out Kevin Strohschein and Braian Fernandez to rack up his tenth and eleventh strikeouts.
Matt Merrill, Tanner Driskill and Trey Turner combined for six scoreless innings before the Woodpeckers finally broke through against Turner in the seventh. Nate Perry led the inning with a walk and was singled over to third by Justin Williams on his first professional hit. Joey Loperfido delivered the go-ahead swing with a sacrifice-fly to left that scored Perry for a 1-0 lead.
Jose Betances (L, 0-2) pitched a scoreless seventh, but surrendered the advantage in the eighth, hitting Jake Randa with a pitch while the bases were loaded. Betances was lifted from the game in the ninth after walking three more hitters and allowing Jake Boone to bunt home the go-ahead run. Whit Drennan inherited two runners, loaded the bases on a hit by pitch of Zach Cornell, and followed with consecutive bases-loaded walks to hand Fredericksburg a 4-1 lead.
Tomas Alastre (W, 1-1) set down the Fayetteville side in order in the eighth, and worked around a Yainer Diaz single in the ninth to close the game.
The series is now tied going into Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Segra Stadium. The FredNats will start RHP Karlo Seijas while Fayetteville’s starter is TBA.
FULL BOX SCORE: https://www.milb.com/gameday/649181/final/box